Out of Pocket Expenditure of Major Morbidity and Gender Inequality in India

Akansha Singh, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Himanshu Katyan, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Amarjit Singh, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

Health expenditure in India amounts to 4.8% of GDP. Out of-pocket payments (97%),is the major source of private expenditure on health and a person suffering from any major morbidity faces a tremendous strain for bearing higher catastrophic health care expenditures. Indian Human Development Survey collected data of cost of treatment of major morbidity for the last 365 days prior to the survey for individuals suffering from major morbidities. The cost of treatment was computed including doctor fees, medicines fees and cost of transportation. The results shows that mean cost of treatment is Rs.5131 among females as compare to Rs.6463 among males. Females are not spending adequate amount for treatment inspite of higher prevalence. The cost of treatment is lower among females irrespective of place of residence,household income quintiles.The mean cost of treatment was more or less constant among females in the households of first four income quintiles.